In the country of Moldova, poverty is the norm. Caught between the East and West, Moldova is a former Soviet nation taken from its mother country of Romania by Tsar Nicholas of Russia right before the Soviet Revolution in 1917. Since the fall of the Soviet Union, Moldova has struggled to develop an independent national identity. It is the poorest country in Europe. The level of poverty in some villages rivals what you would see in Africa or South America, but definitely not what you would expect to see in Europe. Convoy of Hope Europe (COHEU) developed the Adopt-A-Community program around areas like these, where organizations and churches can make a long-term investment into improving conditions for those stuck in the perpetuating cycle of poverty. For those who cannot make a long-term investment, COHEU has alternate programs that can still make an incredible impact. The latest program involves providing groups of rabbits for families to raise and breed. Since female rabbits can safely provide up to 10 babies every two months, raising them can provide food and a source of income for people otherwise out of work. This affordable and sustainable solution has the potential to significantly impact lives in Moldova, as well as initiating meaningful relationships between the people in the community and our local partners. To find out more about how you can be involved, contact us at info@convoyofhope.eu!

For the last three years, Convoy of Hope Europe has been working to bring help and hope to the village of Biesti, Moldova in a unique, transforming way through our Adopt-A-Community program. While projects in Biesti have involved construction work in the school and building playgrounds, the sponsor churches in Holland and Belgium also decided to provide coal to families in Biesti that could not otherwise afford to heat their homes in the bitter Moldovan winters. One of the families who received a coal delivery recently is a young lady named Liuba and her younger brother Gheorghe. Still teenagers, Liuba and Gheorghe are no strangers to looking out for themselves. Their father began drinking heavily after the death of their mother four years ago. When he too passed away last year, Liuba and Gheorghe were left in a desperate situation. Liuba even tried to commit suicide. Gheorghe works to support them, but since he was unable to complete school, his earning potential is very limited. Without the coal provided to them by teams from Belgium and the Netherlands, they would have no way to stay warm. Liuba was overwhelmed by the coal delivery, and told the team they not only brought warmth for the home, they brought warmth to her heart. She now knows that she and Gheorghe are not alone, that God will provide for their needs, as He provided the coal. Additionally, the pastor from a nearby church in Orhei offered Liuba room in an apartment for women where she can stay while studying at university. In one day, God came into her home and provided heat for the winter, as well as giving her an opportunity to study at university and make a better life for herself. Thanks to our Adopt-A-Community partners who have committed to transforming communities, Liuba and Gheorghe have the opportunity to start over, to begin their story anew.

From July 2nd-9th, 2014, COHEU took its fourth Adopt-A-Community trip to Biesti, Moldova. Biesti is a community that has been adopted in partnership with Mission Impact of L’Église Protestante Évangelique de Tubize of Belgium, and Agape Church, Amsterdam, Netherlands. This time, we were joined by a team from Mission Impact. On previous trips, we have worked to build a relational foundation with the people of Biesti through several community projects. We have done home improvements, built a playground, distributed food, and even handed out 18,500 KG/40,000 lbs of coal before Christmas so families could stay warm through the winter. On this trip, we continued community development by building a fence around the local kindergarten. This helps us to forge a connection with the local education system, which is always a priority for Adopt-A-Community projects. We were also able to help out a local woman who is responsible for supporting her adult daughter with mental and physical disabilities, as well as her two nephews. With very little resources, this woman bears a heavy burden for her family. We were happy to be able to help by making refurbishments around her house, painting, cleaning, and installing insulation under her flooring. Additionally, we held two children’s events with about 165 kids in total. The children around town were invited to a “Special Kids” day where they could play games and sports, do crafts, make bracelets, and even plant a bulb in a pot to take home as a special memento from the day. There was also face-painting, singing, and quality time interacting with these kids giving them a rare treat just to show compassion. We then visited with several local families handing out food and demonstrating to the townspeople that we care and are invested in making their community a better place for them. Thank you to Mission Impact for your dedication and sacrifice for the people of Moldova. Thanks also to Agape Church, Amsterdam for your partnership in Biesti. Stories of previous trips to this community can be found here, here and here. To donate to this project, click here.

From May 12th – 18th, 2014, COHEU partnered with Life Church of Germantown, WI in the village of Peresecina, Moldova, situated about 30km/18mi from the capital city of Chisinau. Moldova is currently the poorest country in Europe. For this reason, COHEU has partnered with churches and organizations to bring hope to the people of Moldova through community work. A key aspect of this has been our Adopt-A-Community program. We have completed two projects in the towns of Leova and Glinjeni, and are currently adopting the village of Biesti, as well as supporting other communities around the country. With the help of Life Church Missions, we spent the week showing compassion to the people of Peresecina. Throughout the week, the team worked chiefly on the assembly and construction of a playground for the local kindergarten. Painting and priming the wood, and laying the foundation was no easy task amidst the rainy weather. However, the team left the community with a souvenir of love in the form of a structure that will bring joy the town’s children for years to come. We also had a chance to spend time with many of the local families and visit an institute for the blind, handing out bags of groceries to our new friends as we went. Thank you to our Moldovan partners and the members of Life Church Missions for helping us spread a little hope to the faces of Peresecina, both young and old!